# Alberta Beardtongue (*Penstemon albertinus*) Alberta Beardtongue is a pretty flower with bright purple blooms. It loves to grow in sunny places and can attract butterflies and bees, making gardens colorful and lively! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Alberta Beardtongue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Penstemon_albertinus_%2828467312652%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Penstemon_albertinus_%2828467312652%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Alberta Beardtongue has striking tubular flowers, usually a vivid blue-violet or lavender, with two lips and a fuzzy 'tongue' inside. Its narrow, green leaves grow in clumps, creating a beautiful splash of color in rocky habitats. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Plantaginaceae - **Genus:** Penstemon ## Interesting facts - Its 'beardtongue' is not a real tongue but a fuzzy, sterile stamen! - Over 250 different kinds of Beardtongues exist in North America! - Some bees buzz-pollinate its flowers, shaking out pollen like salt from a shaker! - This tough beauty is named after the Canadian province of Alberta. ## Special abilities - **Pollinator Magnetism:** Alberta Beardtongue has tube-shaped flowers and nectar guides that skillfully attract specific long-tongued bees and hummingbirds for pollination. - **Mountain Survivor:** This tough plant can grow in harsh, rocky soil and high elevations, using a strong root system to anchor itself firmly. - **Fuzzy Guide:** Its unique 'beardtongue' (a sterile stamen) acts like a fuzzy landing strip and guides pollinators deep inside the flower. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 20-50 cm - **Spread:** 15-30 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Two-form Bumble Bee (*Bombus bifarius*) — Collects nectar and pollen from flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Rufous Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rufous-hummingbird) (*Selasphorus rufus*) — Visits flowers for sweet nectar. - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Sips nectar, helping spread pollen. ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Tube Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tube-flower): A tube flower has petals fused together at the base, forming a distinct tubular structure that typically holds nectar deep within. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't pick flowers, so everyone can enjoy them! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Alberta Beardtongue? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Alberta Beardtongue? 20-50 cm ### How wide does Alberta Beardtongue spread? 15-30 cm ### How big are the flowers on Alberta Beardtongue? 2-4 cm ### When does Alberta Beardtongue bloom? Late spring to mid-summer ### Is Alberta Beardtongue edible? No ### Is Alberta Beardtongue toxic? None ### What is Alberta Beardtongue's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Great Northern Railway Buildings](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-northern-railway-buildings) — Montana, US · Historic Site - [Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/akamina-kishinena-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Alberta Beardtongue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/alberta-beardtongue)